Machines may be employed at a job site to perform a variety of operations. Those operations may include, for example, carrying loads, moving earth, digging, and dumping. The machines used may include, for example, trucks, backhoes, excavators, dozers, and loaders. These machines may include implements or tools configured to assist with performing the aforementioned operations. The machines and their associated tools may be operated and controlled by machine operators.
A machine operator may sit in a cab containing machine controls, such as a steering wheel, joystick, and/or any other control device suitable for operating the machine. Additionally or alternatively, the machine operator may be located off-site, and may operate the machine with a remote control device. The machine operator may rely on sight to analyze the job site, steer the machine, and perform operations using the tool. However, the machine operator may have physical limitations. For example, the machine operator may have a limited field of vision, and may be incapable of seeing portions of the job site behind, to the side of, or far away from the machine. Further, the machine operator's view may be obstructed by obstacles at the job site, or even components of the machine itself. Typically, one or more sensors may be provided to assist the machine operator by attempting to compensate for these physical limitations. In doing so, the sensors may provide the machine operator with machine data and job site data. The sensors may also supply information to a machine control system, and the machine control system may assist the operator with certain tasks or operations. However, use of the sensors may not solve other issues, such as machine operator fatigue.
At least one system has been developed for automating a machine. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,538 to Takeda et al. (“Takeda”) discloses an automatic excavator for excavating blast-fallen stones. The excavator is equipped with a visual sensor for recognizing the three-dimensional shape of an excavation object, and for measuring distances. However, the visual sensor in Takeda operates between two beacons. Thus, the visual sensor is not designed to recognize terrain features, such as piles, trenches, and the like, that may be located throughout a job site. Furthermore, the visual sensor does not provide an overall 3-D terrain map of the job site areas outside of the area defined by the two beacons.
The system and method of the present disclosure is directed towards overcoming one or more of the constraints set forth above.